Article orienting mechanism



Oct 23, 1951 c. P. SLAGLE ARTICLE ORIENTING MECHANISM Filed OCL. 29, 1949 w F 8 f: O 6 7 6 6 2 8 7 6 4 8 5 6 D 0 0 o o C I no 4 |(\Af 6 8 o II o w mw o l 0 Q 9 0 u n ril IWI l! mw FIG P. SLAGLE Buventor CLARENCE Gttornegs 5 Sheos--ShewJ 2 Filed Oct. 29, 1949 iam JWN Gm w MTM/Mm S P. .v E

Oct. 23, 1951 c. P. SLAGLE ARTICLE ORIENTING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 29, 1949 P. SLAGLE CLARENCE Srwento lll-f,

(Ittornegs klu Oct. 23, 1951 c. P. SLAGLE ARTICLE ORIENTING MECHANISM' 5 Shests-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 29. 1949 v CLARENCE P. SLAGLE Suveutor (Ittornegs Oct. 23, 1951 c. P. SLAGLE 2,572,773 l y ARTICLE ORIENTING MECHANISM Filed oet. 29, 1949 5 sheets-sheet 5 SLAGLE Snnentor c LARENc; P.

Gttornegs Patented Oct. 23, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTICLE ORIENTING MECHANISM Clarence P. Slagle, Selah, Wash.

Application October 29, 1949, Serial No. 124,370

8 Claims.

My invention relates to an article orienting mechanism and, more particularly, to a mechanism for elevating and orienting a generally spherical article, having at least one indentation in its surface, such as fruit having a core indent.

Improvements in methods of mass production in industry are responsible for the constantly rising standard of living that we all enjoy. The

need for increased mechanization is especiallyy felt in the field of processing perishable fruits. This industry has a highly seasonal period of production, at which period a great volume of production must be accomplished in a relatively short time -due to the perishable nature of the base material. The work is done largely by migratory workers and a decrease in the number of such employees is desirable due to the uneconomic nature of itinerant labor. Also, it is difficult to secure enough temporary workers because of the relatively high permanent employment at this time.

Savings in the processing of fruit are passed on to the nations food consumers in the form of lower prices, hence they may enjoy more of this healthful food. Even in relatively nonperishable fruit processing, it is desirable to have increased mechanization because there is a resultant saving over manual processes.

The main problems in the mechanized processing of fruit are due to the irregular shape of the base material. It is necessary to orient the fruit in relation to the axis of the stem and core before such operations as peeling and coring can be performed.

An object of this invention-is, therefore, to provide an improved method of orienting an article having a generally spherical shape with at least one identation in its surface, and of elevating the article from a fiume or reservoir to a position where it may be picked up and transferred to a peeling and coring mechanism. Once the article has been oriented, of course the orientation should be maintained. It is imperative to accomplish these objectives in an inexpensive manner with a simply constructed and maintained machine having a high rate of eiiiciency.

In brief, these objectives are carried out in my invention by the following means: the fruit is placed in a flume or reservoir containing water. Positioned in the flume is an upright column having two sprocket wheels mounted thereon, one near the top and one under the surface of the water. The sprocket wheels are connected by an endless flexible chain. Means is provided for driving the sprocket wheels intermittently. Article carriers are mounted on the endless chain, equally spaced one from another.

The article carriers are cup-shaped, and associated with each carrier is a driven Wheel projecting above the inner bottom surface of the carrier. Means is provided for rotating the driven wheel. A fruit in the article carrier is rotated by the driven wheel until it reaches a position with the core indent contiguous the wheel. At this point the driven wheel no longer contacts the surface of the fruit, and the fruit is stably supported by the inner surface of the cup.

The driven wheel is mounted on a shaft having a driving sheave external of the carrier. A reciprocally movably upright rail is positioned contiguous the path of said driving sheaves on that side of the orienting mechanism up which the article carriers move. The article carriers are moved intermittently a distance equal to the distance between carriers. Latching means is provided to attach the upright rail to an article carrier during the movement of said carrier upwards. At the end of this travel, means is provided to disengage the upright rail, and the rail falls rotating the driving sheaves, and the driven wheel rotates moving the article in the article carrier towards an oriented position. Means is provided for latching the rail to the next succeeding article carrier when the rail has travelled downwards a distance equal to the space between carriers. It can be seen that means is provided for moving the article carriers intermittently and for rotating the driven wheels when the article carriers are at rest.

A tiltable feeder trough, operatively attached to the bottom of the upright rail, is positioned in the flume or reservoir partially submerged in the water. The trough has an open end contiguous the upward path of the article carriers. By action of the upright rail the trough is submerged below the water level, comes up carrying several pieces of fruit, and tilts, whereupon one fruit rolls off the open end and into an article carrier. This carrier moves upward and the next carrier is in a position to receive another fruit, whereupon the process is repeated.

Near the top of the travel of the fruit, means is provided for picking up the then oriented fruit and transferring the fruit to the peeling and coring mechanism. A preferred form of transfer mechanism is described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 115,157.

The method and meansl by which the aforesaid objects and other objects are accomplished by my invention will be best understood from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view partly in section, illustrating a machine embodying the present preferred form of my invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational view, partly in section, of one form of article carrier in my orienting mechanism; A

Figure 3 is a fragmentary elevational view, partly in section, of the latch portion of the mechanism in a different position than shown in Figllle 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the latch and :article carrier assemblieapart of the supporting fc'olumnl `of the orienting mechanism being broken away;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the means of engagement between ,the latch and the article carrier assembly, also shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a horizontal .sectional .view taken along line (i--Ily of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional .view of the article carrier assembly in which the article tcarrier .is constructed `in a differentmanner than in Figure 2,; .l

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view `of .the dash-pot assembly;

Figure .9 is a schematic view of the means .-for intermittently driving my orienting mechanism;

,Figure l0 is an-enlarged yfragnentary perspective View `of the .til-table feeding trough shown .in another 'position -in Figure l.;

Figure .11 is an elevational view -of the feeding .trough .assemblyedepicted in the same position -as Fig-ure v1 and .from the Opposite side;

Figure v12 is an enlarged elevational view -of .the means for intermittently driving my lorienting mechanism, also shownin Figure 9;

Figure 13 -is a fragmentary plan view of fmy .orienting mechanism shown in conjunction with a preferred form :of 4 transfer mechanism for picking Vup oriented fruit lfrom the orienting mechanism and `transferring the fruit to another locaf tion stil-l in an -oriented position, 4the transfer mechanism being shown in the act .of picking -up .anoriented apple; and

Eigure 14 is an enlarged perspective View -of a fork used in the transfer mechanism to pick up r oriented fruit, shown ,-i-n Figure ,13 in engagement with an apple in an varticle carrier.

The flume My elevating and orienting mechanism is preferably used ,in Aconjunction with a flume, .or reservoir 3l, which I havershown in Figures 1 and `6 as formed with vsheet metal walls in a rectangular shape. An inlet .conduit 33 permits ilu-id 29, preferably water, to he introduced to Athe fiume 3,1 .under pressure.; and, by providing the outlet conduit .3.5 4remote from .the inlet .conduit 33, a current .of fluid vis created across the ume `3.I so. that fruit placed therein are urged in a uniform direction, in this case toward one end and near the corner. The feeder trough 30, which will be described in ldetail later, is positioned in this area and is in .a position to pick up the fruit which are eongregated in this area` As long as there are a -substantial number of fruit in the flume .31, the feeder trough A3! will regularly pick up fruit during the feeding operation.

Supporting column and sprockets Driving means A bevel gear 64 is set on one end of the upper sprocket wheel shaft 6I) toward the transfer mechanism as'shown in Figure 13. Another bevel lgear 65 `is positioned in .engagement with the aforesaid bevel gear 64 and is mounted on one zend of a shaft 56, as shown in Figures 9 and 13. .This shaft is Yset in bearings 68 mounted on legs T2 attached to the peeling mechanism platform '110 as-shownin Figure 1.

At the other end of the shaft et is a driven sprocket wheel 14. An endless drive chain 16 is mounted on the driven sprocket wheel 'I4 and another sprocket wheel not shown in the drawings. Intermittent motion imparted to .the dri-ve `chain "IS by means of .an eccentric .driving assembly. A .drive shaft 8D is .connected with the source of power of the peeling .and -cor'ing `mechanism and rotates .at a uniform rate. A cam member 'I8 is mounted eccentrically .on the drive shaft. The .cammember I8 isset in aframe '4.11, which is slidably .mounted 'in guide members 82 iin a horizontal position. This is shown 'in Figure 11,2. As the drive shaft '80 rotates, areciprocal movement is imparted to the frame All. .One end of a rod 36 is attached to the .frame All with its free end extending contiguous the path of 'the endless .drive chain '16. A pusher `dog 38 is .set on the free end of vthe rod '36, in position `to move the drive chain I6 in one direction only.. As rod 36 is moved reciprocally, intermittent movement in one direction is imparted yto the drive chain. A stop dog 31 acts on the .drive chain, permitting movement of 'the drive chain 1S only 'in one direction. l

It should be noted that other means .may be provided for imparting intermittent motion to the `sprocket wheels 2l! .on the upright .column .|9, this being merely the preferred form.

Flexible chain There are two idler rollers 8d positioned on 4the outside of the upright column 19, one below the upper sprocket wheel and one above the lower sprocket wheel. A flexible endless chain I3 is mounted ony the sprocket wheels 28 and Over the rollers 811. The rollers 84 serve to tighten the flexible chain I8 and to reduce transverse movement of the chain IB on the other side of the upright column. The chain I3 moves downward on the roller side of the upright column 'I 9. The U-shaped upright column is open on the side at which the chain moves upwards. There is a backing plate 95 positioned alongside the upward path of the chain I8 to keep the chain from moving transversely inwards, thereby reducing any tendency of the chain to slapf The backing plate 95 is attached to the opposite side of the upright column I9 by webs '8L as best shown in Figure 1. The backing plate '95 has slightly in-turned ends to avoid catching the endless chain I8.

Article carriers Cup-shaped article carriers I6 are mounted on the outside of the flexible chain I8 and are spaced equidistantly by means to be recited later. As shown in Figure 1, on the side of the upright column I9 with the backing plate 95, the cups are directed upward and on the other side, with the rollers 84, they will be downward.

The inner surface of the sides of the cupshaped portion of the article carriers I6 support fruit placed therein as shown in Figures 2 and (5 7... driven wheel 42, set on a shaft 44, positioned in the base of the article carriers I6, extends into the cup-shaped portion to a level where it will contact the surface of fruit placed therein, except when the core indent of the fruit is directly above the driven wheel 42. If fruit having a core indent is placed in the article carrier I 6 and the driven wheel 42 is rotated, the fruit will be rotated by the action of the driven wheel 42 on the surface of the fruit until the fruit reaches a position with the core indent above the driven wheel, at which point the driven wheel will no longer contact the surface of the fruit and the fruit will be maintained at its now oriented position with the core axis vertical.

In the structure depicted in Figure '7 the shaft 44 has a fixed position in relation to the article carrier I6. A Imodification is shown in Figure 2 with a sleeve 86 enclosing the base of the article carrier. The sleeve 86 is maintained in a desired position by `means of set screw I88. The shaft 44 has a fixed relationship with the sleeve 86. The article carrier I6 has helical slots 90 in its base wall to receive the shaft 44.v Rotation of the article carrier I6 with relation to the sleeve 86 will vary the distance that the driven wheel 42 Vprojects into the cup portion of the article carrier.

Referring to Figure '7, the article carrier I6 is attached to the flexible endless chain I8 by means of a strap 94. the middle of strap attaching to the flexible chain I8, one end fixed to the base of the article carrier I6, and the other end being bent to receive the end ofY the shaft 44 of the driven wheel 42. In the method of construction of the article carrier shown in Figure 2, strap 94 is attached to the sleeve 86, instead of the base of the article carrier.

A horizontally corrugated roller 46 is fixed on the shaft 44 between the article carrier I6 and the bent end of the strap 94. U-shaped strap 96 is attached to the endless chain I8 immediately above the strap 94, and the legs of the U- shaped strap extend above the corrugated cylinder 46, and a second shaft 98 is mounted therein, with its axis parallel to the axis of the corrugated cylinder 46. A Spur gear 91 is set on this shaft 98 in engagement with the corrugated cylinder 46. The grooved sheave 41 is xed on the shaft 98 at one side of the spur gear 91.

A bar '50 is positioned in contact with the U- grooved sheave 41 by means to be recited later. Means is provided to move the bar 50 relative to the U-grooved sheave 41. When the U-grooved sheave 41 is rotated, the spur gear 91 follows rotating the corrugated cylinder 46, and the driven wheel 42 in turn is rotated, moving a fruit in the article carrier I6 toward orientation, as heretofore described.

Rail assembly Outside of the upright column I9, at one side of the endless chain I8, is positioned a vertical rod 48. This is on the side of the orienting mechanism at which the article carriers I6 move upwards, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 4. The rod is slidably mounted in guide posts 99 attached to the upright column I9. A vertical rail 50 is positioned to bear against the U-grooved sheaves 41. The rail is preferably made of hard rubber to insure operable engagement with the sheave 41. The back of the rail 50 is held by a semi-circular upright member |00 whichV in turn is attached to the vertical rod 48 by horizontal connecting members |02.

Latch assembly There is a vertical slot 92 in the upright column I9 'of a length slightly longer than the distance between article carriers I6, and an L-shaped rod |04 travels in said slot with its longer arm attached to the upright rod I4-8 by means of a bushing end |06 encircling the upright rod, said rod being held fixed by means of a set pin |08 in the bushing end |06. The shorter arm of the L- shaped rod |04 extends through the vertical slot 92 and pivotally carries latch l24. The latch member 24 has a hook arm 23 extending towards the article carriers I6; a cam follower arm 2| extending in the opposite direction; and a counter-weight 22 attached to its under side which tends to keep the hook arm 23 and the cam follower in the general upright position.

A roller 28 is provided on the end of the hook arm 23 and is engageable with lip 25 on strap 94 to latch the rail assembly to the article carrier assembly. When the roller 28 is in engagement with lip 25, it can be seen that the rail assembly will move upward with the article carrier assembly, as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

On the inside of the upright column II, next to the cam follower arm 2|, are two superposed cams. The upper cam ZIB is positioned at a level above the'vertical slot 92. As the rail assembly moves upward, a roller 21 on the cam follower arm 2|v is pulled rearward and the hook arm 23 is disengaged from the lip 25. The rail assembly, being then unlatched from the article carrier, descends, and rail 50 causes rotation of the U- shaped sheave 41 causing the driven wheel 42 to rotate, thereby moving the fruit in the article carriers I6 along the 'path of the rail 50 toward orientation. In Figure 1 the upper cam 26 is in contact with the cam follower arm 2| and any further movement upwards of the latch 24 will serve to disengage the rail vassembly from the article carrier assembly.

As the rail assembly moves downward, the cam follower arm 2| strikes the lower cam I5 and the hook arm 23 is swung back to engage with the next following lip 25 associated with the next lower article carrier I6. In Figure 3 the cam follower arm 2| is shown as it first contacts the lower cam I5. The rail assembly is thus again latched to the article carrier assembly and the operation is repeated.

The means for causing intermittent motion of the endless chain I8, heretofore described, is so timed and spaced that each advancing motion moves the article carriers I6 a distance equal to the distance between carriers. At the beginning of the movement the rail assembly is latched to the adjacent article carrier I6. As advancing movement ends, the rail assembly is unlatched from the article carrier and descends. The rail assembly completes its downward motion and is re-latched on the next succeeding article carrier before the endless chain I8 moves again. It can thus be seen that the driven wheel 42 only moves when the article carriers |6 are at rest and, therefore, the fruit is only moved towards orientation when the article carriers are motionless.

falsear/rs celerated motion than by a regular motion. Also, the operation of the rod 48 facilitates the action off the feederv trough, as. will be described later.

Referring: to Figure 8, a dashpot is attached to the upward end of the vertical rod 48 to cushion the motion of the rail assembly. The cylindrical bodyI 511 of the dashpot is attached to theA upright columnv I9. by means of a collar 53. The upper end of the piston 52 is attached to thev Vertical rod 48. by means of "a horizontal rod 55.

Feeder trough.

As mentioned before, a feeder trough 3l! is positioned in the flume 3| and means is provided to urge the apples toward that position. A shaft 4J is rotatably mounted in a connecting member 5' encircling the lower end of the vertical rod 4S. The vertical rod d3 is held xedly by means o f a set screw 4.9 in the connecting member 4.5,. On one end of the shaft il is fixedly attached a vertical plate39. The open end of the feeder trough 3i); is mounted on the vertical plate 39, with the free closed end of the trough extending outward from the orienting mechanism. There is a defleoting iiange 43 extending downward from the edge of the feeder trough Sil' towards the inlet conduit'.. riChe vertical plate 39( andthe flange 43 serve to keep fruit from floating under the feeder trough 3,13 and interfering with its movement. A rod 32 attached to the end of the shaft 4|, on the other side of the vertical rod 48 from the feeder trough 3Q, extends in an opposite directOIl from the feeder trough. Plate 35.. attachedto.theuprightcolumn |9 extends over the free endA of the rod 32 and formsa stop for rod 32.

Itean be seenthat, as the Vertical rod d8 moves up andt down, the rod. 32 will pivot, the free end being held by the angle4 plate 3d.; shaft 4| will rotate; and the feeder trough will be raised and also tilt. A ilange 5! on the connecting member 55 limits the pivot of the rod 3,2; so that, when the M1132 and theA feeder trough- 3,6 are in a horizontal position, any further movement of the vertical rod d8, downward will submerge thev trough.

Thei feeder trough4 Sil` isl positioned, so that it is submerged beneath the surface of the water 2i?, when the vertical rod 48 is` in its lowermost position, a depth` great enough that fruit may float to above the feeder trough. As stated before means is provided to urge the fruit. towards that position. Asi vertical rod d8 moves upward, the feeder trough. 3D` rises and tilts, and fruit in the trough willv roll towards the open` end. The open discharge end is contiguous theV path of the. article carriers l6, and, as the feeder trough picks up a load each time that the vertical rod 4,8 completes its movement cycle, each article carrier is loaded as it passes the trough. As before set forth,` the rail' assembly makes a, cycle each time the endless chain IS, niovesk the distance, between article carriers. The trough is large enough to hold several fruit so that atleast. one fruit will bey inpositi'on to descend to4 the, article carrier I5 on each cycle. The operation of these parts will be best understood'from Figures l, 10., and 11.

Transfer mechanism The transferA mechanismI is described more completely in my co-pending application, Serial No. L15-,157, fried September 12., 1949. The preferred form of that transfer mechanism is shown in part in Figure 13. There is an arm 83 mounted on a flexible chain 85 in an outward direction, said chain; 8,5 running; over a sprocket wheel set on; a shaft. Shaft: 8571sl Set; in. bea.rings` 871 mounted ontwo parallel` cheek plates 9 2,

'Iiheref is a spear" head 8;'1 mounted on theend of the arm, 83,: having several spears 88. 'IIhe spears are directed so that, when the arm.V 83 swings toward the; orienting mechanism,A the spears, 88; are in, position to spear; a. fruit oriented inA the uppermost article carrier I6. Al guard plate'g'H- attached to theuprightcolumn I 9 serves tosteadt7` the articlefcarrier IB, Therearerollers 1v5= attached to thebase of the arm 83 which, runs in guideways 15- when, the spearsv 88- are descendinginto an oriented fruit, toinsure that the spearstl, travel in the designed path. The guideways are attached to the cheek plates 92.

The arml 8,3y travels reciprccally, moving from the position inengagementwiththe fruit shown in Figure; 13 to an opposite position shown in dotted lines. As the arm travels to this second location, the spearsA 88- are inverted and, at the endy of the travel, the fruit is intercepted by a cup-like receiver 89 having a slot for the armY 8 3 to; pass.- through, but retaining the fruit. The fruit is stillin a-n oriented position with theoore axis` vertical. There. is means tofk transfer the fruit from the cup-.like receiver 39, to a mechanism for peeling and coring, as more fully explained. in the.. co-pending application. Guide ways 93V at. thisv end of transfer` mechanism receive the rollers 'l5vv and steady the. arm- 83,.

The transfer mechanism is timed with the orienting mechanism` so` that the fruitA ispicked out ofv the. article carriery I6 while the carrier is at. rest. and the transfer mechanism .has completed its cycle,y by.r transferring the fruitv to the cup-like receiver 89 and returning, in time to spear the fruit from, the next article carrierk IB as ity reachesthe.uppermostposition,

In my. invention I haverprovideda mechanism for pickingV fruit from a flume, for elevating the fruit while orienting the fruit toI a. position with the core axis` ver-ticaL and for;v picking the then oriented fruit from the topofk the orieni'lIli-lr` mechansm, and transferringr the fruit to a position to be picked. upby a, peeling and coring mechanism whilel maintaining the orientation. The process is fullyY automatic and has a high. rate of efficiency. The apparatus is. relatively simple and easy to maintaim and requires little attention during. Operation...

This. mechanism for improving the mechanized processing of fruit willl reduce productionV costs and thereby benefit the nationsY food consumers.

Although I have illustrated and. described only a Single form 0f the. invention., 1 am aware that modifications can be. made therein by any person skilled'in the art, without departing fromA the spirit and scope ofthe invention as4 expressed in the claims.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for orien'ting a generally spherical article having at least one indentation in its surface, comprising; a cup-like carrier for supporting such an article, said carrier having p an opening in the base thereof; a rotatable shaft associated with said carrier below its articlesupporting surface; a driven wheel on said shaft extending through said slot such a distance, that the driven wheel will make contact with such an article except when the indentation of the article is contiguous with said wheel; a drive wheel on said shaft external of said carrier;v a reciprocally movable upright rail in contact with sai'd drive wheel; means for; intermittently moving said cup-like carriers upward; a latching means for attaching said rail to said means for" a dashpotV attached to said rail operable tov cushionthe descent ofsaid rail.

3'; A mechanism for'orienting generally spherical articles having atleast oneY indentation in their surface, comprising: cup-like carriers for supporting said articles, each-said carrier ,having an opening in the base thereof; a rotatable shaft associated with each of said carriers below its article-supporting surface; a driven wheel on said shaft extending through said slot such a distance that the driven wheel Will make contact with such an article except when the indentation of the article overlies said driven Wheel; a drive wheel on said shaft external of' said carrier; vtwo sprocket wheels spaced apart vertically; an endless 'exible'ch'ain' on said sprocket wheels, said cup-like carriers being attached to said nexibie chain and spaced at even intervals therealong; means for intermittently moving said sprocket wheels; a reciprocally movable upright rail in contact with said drive wheels on the upwardly movable flight of said chain; a latching means for engaging said rail to said chain for movement therewith; means for disengaging said latching means to permit said rail to descend to rotate said drive wheels; and means for re-engaging said rail to said chain; said means for moving said sprockets being so timed and said means for disengaging and re-engaging said latching means being so placed that, when the carrier chain has moved forward one interval, said rail is unlatched and descends, thereby rotating said drive wheels, to be relatched when said carrier chain moves upward again.

4. The combination with the subject matter of claim 3, comprising: a reservoir encasing the lower part of said orienting mechanism to contain said spherical articles; a pivoted article feeder trough having one open end, said open end being adjacent the upward portion of the path of the cup-like carriers, and means for swinging said trough to urge a spherical article, floating on the surface of said reservoir, into one of said cup-like carriers Awhile the same is immersed.

5. A mechanism for orienting generally floatable spherical articles of fruit of the type having at least one surface indentation, comprising: a nume to receive bulk quantities of said articles and uid to float the same; means for imparting a current to the fluid in said flume to urge the articles in an unidirectional path, means in said flume for grouping said articles and for holding them against the urgence of said current; a series of movable cups arranged in an upright endless path of travel, having its lower portion immersed in said flume and arranged so that the flight of said cups that is open upward rises adjacent the ,location of said grouped articles; means for intermittently advancing said series of cups along the path of travel; means for urging a oatable article over an upwardly open immersed cup during vnon-moving intervals of said series; and a rotatable member in the bottom 4of each said cup in contact with an article therein to revolve" 6. The structure according to claim 5 in whichl the means for urgingv a iloatable article over an upwardly open immersed cup during non-moving intervals or" said series, comprises: a lever immersed in said flume and intermediately pivoted, means for raising the pivot of said lever during raising movement of said cups; a. trough in said flume and directed at the upward path of said cups and carried by one arm ofsaid lever, said trough to receive articles floating in said flume; andv a xed abutment above said other arm of the lever to cause the lever torock about its pivot when the latter is raised, whereby said trough is tilted toward said cups and articles.

therein are directed into said cups.

7.. A mechanism for elevating one-after-theother and for orienting generally oatable spherical articles of fruit of the type having at least one surface indentation, comprising: a flume to receive bulk quantities of said articles and fluid to oat the same; an upright column in said nume having a general U-shaped cross section; a pair of sprockets vertically spaced apart and rotatably mounted between the legs of said column; an endless chain encircling said sprockets; means for intermittently advancing said chain about said sprockets, whereby it descends into the flume and rises therefrom in opposite flights; a series of cups mounted on said chain to move therewith in an upright closed path; each said cup having a bottom opening and an axle mounted beneath said opening and extending across the same; a driven wheel on said axle in said opening and extending above the bottom of the cup to contact the surface of fruit therein; a drive on said axle to one side of said cup; a rail mounted on said column for vertical sliding reciprocal movement, said rail having frictional contact with the drive wheels of those cups on the ascending flight of said chain; means for intermittently advancing said chain a predetermined degree cf travel in its path; a tiltable latch hook carried by said rail and engageable with a portion of each said cup to raise said rail with each advance of said chain and the cups thereon; a cam follower associated with said tiltable latch hook to move therewith; a cam in the path of said cam follower adjacent the upper end of its path of movement and operable to disengage said hook from a cup to permit the rail to descent independently of the cup and thereby produce rotation of the drive wheel; a second cam in the path of said cam follower adjacent the lower end of its path to re-tilt said latch hook into a position to contact the next following cup; stop means to limit the downward travel of said rail and latch hook; an intermediately pivoted lever carried by said rail and immersedin said flume, one end of said lever being provided with trough means operable upon rising in the flume to urge fruit articles in said flume into the path of an immersed cup of the ascending flight, the other end of said lever being associated with an abutment member whereby the lever is swung, during rising movement of the rail, about its intermediate pivot to actuate rsaid vtrough means.

8. A mechanism for elevating one-after-theother and for orienting generally oatable spherical articles of fruit of the type having at least aazazze,

having aV general Ufsh ped intermittently adyaneine. Said enain. about yEaid sprqckets wherby it dsgendsn into theiinrne and. ri'eeetherefrinfin Opposite. diente.;

a sereS of cupsv indented 'en Said. ehain. ie indi/.e theiew'h in an dprigntfdlQS-ed path; eaeh Said.. een. having a. bottoni Qnenins andan aideniennied beneath Said enenine and. extending aerese the. saine? a driven. Wheel en Said aisle vin said opening and xter'ldrhlg above vthe bottom of; the` eiip teeentae'lt.. i'he Si'nfaeef eff'friifii therein: a;

drive en'. Said'ale te ene. 'Side di. Said cup.; a. rail menni'e'd. en Said. column fer Vertical. Sliding. re'ciploalv mvelin@11111;V s ad 'rail' hayirfxg f`rvicrigQryaIS contactJ4 with thei drivew Wheels of n'ol'lgsgeJ cups on the a'seending night.. ef. said chain.; means. 11er. intermittently 'advaneinle said.- enain. a. predetermined degree. 0f `travel.' its nain; V'av tiltahie. laten means carried by.. Said rail, te. engage a poiton vof each cupV tg rai'se`v tha xjailwjsl)f achu advance Qf'saidk hain an@ thel qups thereon; means. the Upper pain. of. lsaid laten. means te tilt and disengage |:h'e`swahr`xj1y fromY avglp t'q perl mit. deeeeni ei die nail gne eeiaiiaa df. 0f aaid. drive Wheels.: means me. law-.ee ih of said laten means.. t

d. diende., i

Sten mean-aie limi'eiiie 'dawnwaed t., nel. di e rail( and latch., means.; eriadan. .in niydied leven Carried by eaidlraii .ndinimerieed iin' said 11eme, ene end. 'ef eaid lever. beine revided. Wiel?. 'Grenen meane. Opera 1e eaaniiieln the deine. te afee fruit. a di les., ia Said deine-'into the pain .Y l Ayg Rig., 2.1295?" REEEBENQESJ @HEP The. f eliewing iceeiteneeaaxa Qi neeaeil in. elle die. ef; 'diie paflzen.t 1;.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name. Chase. Paranie n.

i Nov.. 1.9,. 19.1.8. eene. 12,y 1922.

Qca.. 1.9.2.2. Eea. 20,. 1.92.3. June. 2.,. leale..

Apr; 1.95.0; 

